Something More
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Gia never thought she'd have a crush on someone who was supposed to be her enemy, but sometimes things change and people you once thought were enemies could become something more. Takes place in my Tales of a Pizza Delivery Boy universe.
1. Chapter 1

Something More

Chapter 1: Resentment

A/N: So here's another story I've had in my head for a while. It's going to focus on Tony's cousin, Gia, and her budding crush on Raphael. I hope that you enjoy it, and I'm so stoked for the new episode! This takes place after "The Invasion" since that's when Gia became friends with them.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot, Gia, and Gino Salini.

Summary: Gia never thought she'd have a crush on someone who was supposed to be her enemy, but sometimes things change and people you once thought were enemies could become something more. Takes place in my Tales of a Pizza Delivery Boy universe.

I never thought I'd have a crush on a mutant turtle, but that's exactly what happened to me. I guess it happened earlier, though I tried to quell my feelings just because that Turtle was my enemy at the time while I was in the Purple Dragons. But after the Kraang invaded, things changed. My whole perspective on life changed, and I realized exactly who my family really was. And with that, I was hoping that I could get closer to one Raphael Hamato. He was cute, and I really did like him in a weird way. But this was going to be a lot harder than I thought it would be.

It all started after we arrived at the farmhouse. We carried Leonardo into the house and got him settled in the tub. Then the rest of us left while Raph kept vigil over Leo. I guess I could understand why he did it, and it reminded me of when Mom was in a coma after developing breast cancer. We didn't think it was going to spread so fast, but it did, and she ended up losing her life because of it. Seeing Raph keeping vigil over Leo reminded me of when we'd do the same for Mom. I just hoped that this time there'd be a happy ending instead of a sad one.

After looking at Raph one final time, I left and saw Tony trying to entertain Abby Brannigan, a little girl who was friends with Leo. It broke my heart to see her so sad, so I ended up entertaining her, too.

"Do you think Raph's going to be okay?" I asked my cousin.

"I'm not sure," he answered. "I think we should just let him be."

Mikey made dinner and called for Raph to come down, but he didn't. After I ate my own dinner, I decided to take a plate up to him. Mikey handed it to me and I went to the bathroom where he was sitting on the stool. I knocked on the doorframe.

"Hey, Big Guy, it's time to eat," I said.

He turned to me and glared at me. "What are you doin' here?" he demanded.

"Mikey sent me up here to give you some food," I answered. "You better eat it before it gets cold."

"I'm not hungry," he said sullenly.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, you won't be helping Leo out by starving yourself. Do you really think he'd be happy to know that you did that?"

"Mind your own business!" he snapped. Then he turned and kept his gaze locked on his comatose brother.

Sighing, I put the plate down next to him and left the room.

"Did Raph eat?" Mikey asked.

"Not yet, but I'll check later and see if he did," I answered. "That boy is stubborn."

Mikey laughed. "Yeah, he can be at times."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Gia," Dad said. "Raph's been through a lot, so he needs time."

I knew he was right, but I was angry at the way Raph was acting. Anyone could see he needed someone to comfort him, but it seemed like he didn't want anything to do with that and just wanted to wallow in his sorrow. I decided not to dwell on it and played some games with Tony and Abby. Then I went back upstairs and saw that the plate was empty. At least he had eaten.

I took the plate from him, and he ignored me. I was going to say something, but I just put a hand on his shoulder. He shook it off and glared at me. I had never noticed that his eyes were green. They were beautiful, and now they seemed to burn with a fire that was fueled by rage. I had always known Raph was the one with the temper, but seeing it like this made it real to me.

"Don't touch me!" he said in a low growl.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I just thought you needed comfort."

"If I want comfort, I'll get it from my brothers or my friends, not from some Purple Dragon scum!" he retorted.

"I'm not with the Dragons anymore," I informed him.

He snorted. "Everyone knows that when it comes to the Dragons, you either stay there or die."

"Well, I'm different, okay? I left them, and I'm with my true family now."

"Oh, so now you think of Tony and your dad as family?" he spat. "Do you have any idea what they were goin' through when you just left like that? Tony was devastated and worried about you. He kept hopin' you'd turn a new leaf and come home, but you never did. I saw the sadness in his eyes all of the time even when he tried to hide it. You really hurt him, Gia, and you're gonna have to live with that for the rest of your life."

"I know that, Raph, and I'm sorry. But things have changed now, and I want to start fresh with everybody, including you."

"I'm not interested in makin' nice with the enemy right now. I've got better things to think about right now."

"That's fine. But when you want to make nice, let me know." Then I turned and left the bathroom with the empty plate.

"At least Raph ate," Tony commented as I put the dirty plate in the sink where April was doing the dishes.

"Yeah, but now he's back to where he was," I said.

We watched TV for a while and then went to bed. I was sharing a room with Tony and Abby. After we got settled in, I turned to Tony.

"I talked to Raph in the bathroom," I told him. "He said he didn't want to make nice with the enemy."

Tony nodded knowingly. "Yeah, Raph's famous for holding grudges sometimes, especially with strangers."

"I'm not the enemy though," I insisted. "I've changed, Tony."

"I know you have, and I'm sure Raph will see it in time. He's just going through a lot right now, and he wants to focus on Leo. Just give him some space and things will turn out okay."

I nodded. "Have you really forgiven me, Tony?"

"Yeah, I have, Gia. All of that is in the past, and there's nothing we can do to change it. Now we have to move forward and focus on the present. That's what Master Splinter always says."

"I didn't kill him on purpose, you know."

"You didn't kill who?" he asked.

"Uncle Tony," I answered. "Fong was gonna do it, but I wrestled the knife away from him. Then Sid pushed me, and that's when the knife went in him. I couldn't believe what had happened, but there was nothing I could do."

Tony put an arm around me. "I'm glad you didn't do it on purpose, Gia. That was the one thing I was afraid of all of this time. It was just an accident so you shouldn't blame yourself anymore."

"No, but I still do," I said. "I still have nightmares about it and think about it all of the time. It's just something I have to live with for the rest of my life."

"You'll get through it, Gia. We're all here for you."

"I know. Good night, Tony. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Gia. I love you."

"Love you too, Curly," I said using the old nickname I had given him. Then I settled to sleep, hoping that tomorrow would be better for all of us.

22222

As it turned out, Raph didn't sleep in his room. I found him in the bathroom still keeping watch over Leo. I was happy that he was so dedicated to watching over his brother, but at the same time, I didn't want him to kill himself doing it. I watched as he turned to me and saw there were circles under his eyes, indicating he hadn't slept.

"You didn't sleep last night?" I asked him.

"No, I didn't. A ninja always has to be alert. That's what Leo would want."

"I don't think Leo would want you losing sleep on his account," I remarked.

"And I don't think you have any right to tell me what to do!" he retorted.

I shrugged. "Just trying to be helpful," I said.

"Well, when I want your help, I'll ask for it."

"Have it your way. See you later, Big Guy." Then I grinned at him. "You're lucky there's another bathroom in this house, or else you'd have to vacate it so people can do their business. Unless you're into that sort of thing, that is."

Raph's mouth fell open at my words. "That is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard!" he yelped. "Get the hell out of here, and take your nasty thoughts with you!"

Laughing, I came out of the bathroom and went to the other one to do my business and get ready for another day. I looked in the mirror and saw that my light brown hair was a mess. I took a brush and combed it. Then I looked at my face and marveled at my tan skin and my light brown hair. Many people thought I was beautiful, but I never thought I was that attractive. I always thought I was average, but being around Raph made me think of my appearance more even though I wasn't sure if he noticed me.

Wait, why I was thinking this way? He was a mutant turtle, not a human! Was I turning into Donnie? I shook my head and finished up before hurrying out to get some breakfast. Once again, I took a plate to Raph, but he ignored me. When I went back for it, I saw he had eaten, which made me feel better. He really didn't need to starve himself.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" I asked.

"Not much," Tony answered. "We really should get back into training soon, but I don't think Raph wants to do it. Don wants to look at the barn and see if he can turn it into a lab of some sort."

"If anyone can do that, it's Donnie," I said. "You want me to try and get Raph to come out?"

"Nah, let him be," Tony said. "You know how he gets."

I nodded because I did know. I decided it would be nice to take Abby for a walk in the woods, so I asked her if she wanted to go with me. Her eyes lit up and she said she would.

"Will we pick flowers?" she asked me.

"If you want to," I answered.

Abby skipped beside me as we left the house and went to the woods. It was definitely beautiful, and I couldn't help but marvel at the scene before me. Living in the city was different because we weren't close to any of this except if you went to Central Park. Abby found flowers and began picking them, saying she'd put them in a vase for Leo. I smiled at her and how caring she was. Nobody deserved to deal with what she was dealing with, and yet she remained strong and positive that Leo (or Mr. Turtle as she called him) would wake up soon.

We rested by the stream and sat on a rock that was big enough for two of us. Abby was in my lap as we watched the water flow.

"The water's pretty," she said.

"Yeah, it is," I answered. I bent down and found a rock on the ground. I picked it up, took aim, and threw it as hard as I could. It made a loud splash as it hit the water.

"Why did you do that?" Abby asked.

"I always wanted to do that and see if I could," I replied. "You wanna try?"

Abby nodded, so I picked up a rock for her. "Okay, just pull your arm back and throw it," I instructed. She did as I asked and threw the rock. It didn't go as far as mine did, but it was still an impressive throw.

"Good job!" I praised her.

"Can we do it again?" she asked me.

"Sure as long as there are rocks here."

Abby liked that, so we continued to throw rocks. We were so absorbed in our task we didn't realize how much time had passed. We heard footsteps and saw Raph approaching us.

"Ah, so the elusive mutant Turtle has decided to come out of hibernation," I joked.

"Mikey says it's time to eat," he said. "He asked me to come get you guys."

"Are you going to eat with us or hole up in the bathroom?"

He scowled at me. "I'm gonna eat with you guys."

"Glad to hear it."

"Can you give me a piggy back ride, Raph?" Abby begged him.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Abby," I told her. "Raph just might throw you off."

"I will not!" he protested. "Sure, you can ride on my back, kiddo. Just hop on." He bent down and let Abby climb on his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he gently stood up. "Okay, now remember to hold on tight so you don't fall," he instructed.

I smiled as Raph walked, bouncing a little as he did so. It was a change from the Turtle I'd seen before, though I could tell there was something else there, too.

"Raph, I just want you to know that I've been where you are, so if you need to talk about anything, I'm here," I said.

I didn't expect a response, but he turned to me. "Thanks," he said softly. "I'll consider it."

It wasn't much, but it was enough for me. We continued toward the house and went into the kitchen where we ate some lunch. Raph sat down and ate with us, which was a relief to me. I could tell he was itching to get back upstairs though, and as soon as lunch was over, he did just that.

"What about training?" April asked him.

"That can wait," he said. "I wanna stay with Leo for a bit."

"Well, at least he ate," I commented.

"Yeah, that's something at least," Tony agreed. "But we really should get back to training."

"I can spar with you if you want, Tony," I offered.

"Sure, that would be great," he replied.

So after breakfast was over we had a sparring session. I really wished Raph would have been there, too, but I could understand why he wanted to stay with his brother. And as I sparred with Tony, I knew exactly what was wrong with Raph. He resented what had happened to us and what was going to come. He didn't want to be here and deal with all of this, but he had to, and that was what made him mad. I knew it would take some time for him to open up, but I felt that with a little bit of patience, I could get Raph to open up to me and really be a friend to me. That was all I could hope for at the moment.

A/N: So that's the end of the first chapter. I was going to make it longer, but I think this is good enough for now. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Game On

A/N: So here's the second chapter in the tale of Gia and Raph. This is just something I can work on while I wait to update Tales of a Pizza Delivery Boy as well as Pizza Toppings. I want to thank those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story so far.

Guest: Why do I write the Turtles with OCs? Mainly because I feel that the Turtles deserve the chance to find someone they love. Granted, not everyone needs to be in a relationship, but I hate the thought of the Turtles spending their lives alone just because they're mutants. No one deserves that no matter how they look, so that's why I do it. And I don't always pair them up. I have other stories that are just about the Turtles themselves if you'd care to give those a shot. Thanks for reading, and if you choose to continue reading this story, I hope you enjoy it. If not, that's okay, too.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own Gia and Gino Salini.

Two months had passed, and Leo still hadn't woken up. I could tell this was taking a toll on Raph as he seemed moodier than usual. Don kept telling him to be patient, but Raph didn't want to hear it and usually retreated to the bathroom when Don would talk to him like that. But after he began training again, something changed in Raph, and he seemed to become someone else entirely when he was training with the others.

During one particular session he finished sparring with Mikey and looked at me sitting on the grass with Abby in my lap.

"Why don't you give it a shot?" he challenged me.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Why don't you fight me?" he asked. "I wanna see what you got."

I laughed. "You've already fought me before, Raph."

"Yeah, but now you don't have your cronies to back you up," he teased.

I glared at him and took his challenge. I got up off the grass and faced off with him. Tony lent me his weapons since I didn't have any of my own. I had no idea how to use the swords, but I was the type to not let it rattle me. I spun them in my hands and took a stance.

"Game on," I challenged him.

Raph lunged at me, and I dodged his attack. I tried to kick up, but he dodged me and gave me a roundhouse kick to the face, causing me to fall to the ground. I got back up and tried to kick him again, but he dodged it once more. I tried to come at him with the swords, but he parried my attacks and managed to disarm me in one swift movement. I was so surprised by this that I lost focus which caused him to knock me down again. Before I could get up, he pinned me to the ground, his sai at my throat. We stared at each other, breathing hard, and I suddenly felt that same feeling I'd had in the bathroom when he'd glared at me. His look changed, too, and I could see there was something more there in his eyes. Using this to my advantage, I swung my fist and hit him square in the jaw. He reeled back, enabling me to get to my feet. He was stunned as I kicked him and knocked him to the ground, pinning him beneath me. Everyone cheered as Raph just stared at me, lost for words.

"I win," I said simply.

He nodded in acknowledgement as I helped him to his feet.

"Man, that was awesome, Gia," Mikey praised me. "I didn't know you had moves like that."

"Well, I'm full of surprises," I answered.

"I'll say," Tony remarked. "I had no idea you could fight like that."

"Yeah, well, the Dragons did teach me some useful things, though I'd rather be a ninja like you guys."

"You'd be a kunoichi, not a ninja," April corrected me.

"Okay, well, that's what I'd like to be," I answered.

"I think you could do it," Tony said. "You just have to practice."

I nodded and headed for the bathroom to take a shower. I didn't see Raph again until I came out. He was with Leo again and turned when I came in.

"Nice job out there," he said. "You did great."

"You're not mad that I beat you?" I asked him.

"Oh, I'm mad, but I'm not the type to dismiss when my opponent is good," he answered. "You got skills, girl. You just need to hone them in a different style."

"Well, maybe you could teach me how to do that," I said.

His eyes widened a bit but then he smiled. "I'd be glad to."

"Great. So when can we start?"

"How about this afternoon after lunch?" he suggested. "I think this guy could use the rest after everything I've been telling him."

I laughed. "I'm sure he could. But he can't be alone."

"I'm sure Donnie will cover for me," he said. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay, then it's a date."

He just gaped at me as I laughed and left the room. I entered the living room and saw Mikey playing a video game.

"Hey, Gia, why are you so happy?" he asked.

"I think I just made Raph speechless," I replied.

"Whoa! No one's ever done that, not even Leo. You're awesome, girl."

"Thanks. You want an opponent?"

Mikey nodded. "Sure. Bring it."

I took a controller and selected my boxer. Then we began to play. I definitely wasn't good at video games, and it showed as Mikey beat me soundly. It was still fun though as we teased each other about it. Then we played some games with Abby while Mikey made lunch.

Raph came down and smiled. "Smells good, Mikey," he said. Then he looked at me. "You better get ready 'cause this isn't gonna be easy."

"What are you talkin' about?" Dad asked.

"Raph's going to train me," I answered.

"You think you're ready for that?" Dad asked me.

"I think so. I want to be able to fight honorably and not like the Dragons."

"That's good, Gia. That's the way to think."

Pleased at my dad's praise, I continued to eat, shooting quick glances at Raph. He kept his eyes on his food and didn't really look at me, though I was certain he could tell I was looking at him. After lunch was over, we headed to the yard to get ready for some training. Raph had me stretch first before we began to train.

"Okay, you definitely have a good kick, so it's good to use that to your advantage," Raph lectured. "However, we're gonna start with basic punches first."

"But I already know how to punch!" I protested.

He nodded. "You do, but it's good to master the basics when training to be a kunoichi." Then he showed me the basic punching moves and waited while I demonstrated them. After that, we moved on to the kicks, and he immediately tried to correct my form.

"You have to adjust your stance, Gia," he said. "Don't lean too far to the side when you're tryin' to kick."

"But that's the easiest way for me to do it!" I protested.

"It may seem easy, but you can't do it like that. You have to do it right. Try again."

Sighing in frustration, I did as he asked and managed to do it to his satisfaction. He smiled as I finished and bowed to him.

"Good," he praised. "You'll be a great kunoichi yet."

"How long until that happens?" I asked him.

"Not for quite a few years," he replied. "Hell, we're not even full ninjas yet."

"Anything else you want to teach me?"

"Not right now," he answered. "I think that's good enough. We'll work more on this tomorrow afternoon. But you did good today, Gia. Just remember to listen to me, and we'll get along fine."

"Yes, Wise Sensei," I intoned. "What do you think Leo would say if he could see you teaching me?"

He smirked. "He'd probably have a heart attack," he quipped. "He always used to tease me and say I'd never be a good sensei because of my temper."

"Well, I'll be sure to tell him that you did a good job with me today," I answered.

Raph smiled again, and when he did, a light shone in his eyes. I had to admit, I really liked seeing it. He looked away quickly when he caught my look and retreated to the house. I went to the bathroom and told Leo exactly what I promised Raph I would tell him. He didn't answer me of course, but I really hoped that he'd wake up soon. I could see that Leo's absence took a toll on Raph, and that wasn't something I wanted to see. I hoped that in time I'd be able to bring more light to Raph's life so that he wouldn't constantly dwell on his brother's condition. Hopefully, Leo would wake up soon and all would be as it should in due time. Shaking the thoughts from my head, I went to take a nap with visions of Raph's smile in my head.

A/N: So that's the end of another chapter. I'm not going to make it easy for Gia and Raph in this story because Raph is the most cynical of the Turtles and seems to be the one to not have faith that they can have love in their lives. So he's not going to just run to Gia and give her what she wants as I feel that makes for a better story than it just happening right off the bat. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but I'll do my best to come up with something soon. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Emotional

A/N: Another chapter is here! I swear, I'm getting this out faster than I thought I would. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me. So let's see what Gia's reaction is to Raph getting turned into a plant.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Leo did wake up, and when he did, it was like a huge change came over Raph. He was still attentive to Leo's needs, but he was also happier and not as tense as he'd been when Leo was in a coma. Leo was definitely a little wary of me at first, but Tony filled him in, and he soon warmed up to me, which I liked. I figured that with Leo awake now everything would be back to normal and we could get back to the city, but it wasn't that easy.

Donnie gave Leo some mutagen medicine which caused him to throw up. That caused some monster named The Creep (Mikey named him that) to materialize and kidnap Raph. We were worried about where he was, and I really wanted to go and find him. Leo told the others where to go and didn't back down even when Donnie protested the idea of April and Casey going off alone in the woods. Yeah, he definitely had it bad for her.

"I can go, too," I offered.

"No, Gia, you stay here with us," he replied. "I'm not going to let you get into harm's way."

I wasn't happy about it, but it did no good to argue with Leo. I sat and tried to occupy Abby while everyone else went to search for Raph. Leo went outside to do something and then I heard him cry April's name. I desperately wanted to go out there, but I knew that disobeying Leo's orders wasn't a good idea from all Raph had told me about him. It was a long wait, but eventually everyone but Raph, Leo, and Donnie came back.

I jumped up. "What happened?" I demanded. "Where's Raph?"

"He's in the lab with Donnie and Leo," Mikey said. "The Creep turned him into a plant and sucked out his mutagen."

I gasped. "Are you serious?"

"Yep. Donnie's tryin' to work on him now."

I rushed to the barn and saw that Mikey was right. Raph was definitely a plant. Leo was sitting on a crate and looked at me with sad eyes while Donnie was fiddling with the IV he'd rigged up.

"Do you think you can save him?" I asked Donnie.

"I think so, but I'll need some deep concentration to do it," he answered. "Go sit with Leo."

I did as Don asked, my heart thumping. What if Don wasn't able to cure Raph? Seeing my distress, Leo put an arm around me.

"It'll be okay, Gia," he said gently. "Donnie knows what he's doing."

I appreciated the support, but it still scared me to think that Raph could die. We waited the whole night, and I ended up falling asleep on Leo's shoulder. He gently woke me once Raph regained consciousness. As I opened my eyes, I saw Raph sitting up on the bale of hay he'd been on before. Don filled him in on what happened and how he'd saved Raph.

"Gia, did you stay here, too?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I did," I replied. "How do you feel?"

"Weak, but I think I'll be okay," he answered.

"Let's get you back inside," Leo said. He got up and extended a hand to Raph, who took it and supported himself against Leo. After we got back to the house, the two Turtles went upstairs and fell asleep. Mikey made lunch and had me check on both of them. I tiptoed into the room and saw that both of them were still asleep. Raph looked so peaceful in sleep, and I really didn't want to wake him. I went over and kissed him on the forehead, but he didn't even stir. I then did the same to Leo.

"Thanks for being there," I whispered. "He's lucky to have a brother like you." Then I went back downstairs and told Mikety that they were both asleep.

"I guess we'd better let them rest," he said. "I'll save them some food if they want it later."

As it turned out, they did eat the food later when they came downstairs. They were both pretty hungry, and I could tell Raph was feeling better already from his nap.

"Did you have a good sleep?" I asked him.

"Yeah, it was great," he said. "I'm hungry though."

"I bet you are," I said.

"Uh, thanks for looking out for me," he said softly.

"No problem," I answered. "But Leo did that, too."

"I know. I owe you both big time."

"No, you don't owe me anything, Raph. I was happy to do it."

"Well, thanks anyway." He got up and left the table after disposing of his leftover food. I could tell he didn't want to talk to me anymore, and I was okay with that.

"Are you okay, Gia?" Tony asked.

"I'm fine now that Raph's better," I answered. "He really had me worried there for a bit."

"He had all of us worried," Tony pointed out. "I think it's cool you stayed out there with him. It really shows that you care about him."

"I do," I said. "I really do."

"That's good. I know your mom would be proud of you."

"Thanks, Tony," I said.

I didn't talk to Raph again for the rest of the day. I wanted to ask him more about what happened, but he didn't want to talk about it, so I let him be. That was always the best way with Raph. But I couldn't help but keep sneaking looks at him from time to time. The way I felt when he was turned into a plant was a feeling I'd never forget, and it was something that really cemented how I felt about him. I wasn't sure if he'd return my feelings, but I was determined to do all I could to make sure he knew where I stood with him. But as it turned out, I was going to get a reality check in love I never thought I'd get. It was something that would make me question whether I was doing the right thing or not.

A/N: A little short, but I did my best. The next chapter is going to be an interesting one though and one I hope you guys enjoy. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Brotherly Warning

A/N: So, here's the next chapter. I'm really excited for this chapter and what it will entail, and I hope all of you enjoy it, too. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me. So without further delay, here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and Gia and Gino Salini.

I still wasn't sure what was going on with Raph, but I could tell he was doing his best to avoid me. I tried talking to him a few times, but he just blew me off. I figured it had to do with what happened to him and maybe he was embarrassed that I had stuck around while he was out. Whatever the reason, I decided to just let him be since he wasn't going to be coming to me about anything.

We still trained, and it was going well. Leo observed, too, and often made comments if he felt my form was wrong or he needed me to correct a move. I didn't mind because it gave Leo something to do, and he really needed that since he was on the sidelines for now. Raph wasn't too happy and glared at Leo a few times.

"I'm the one in charge of trainin' her, remember?" he reminded his brother.

"It can't hurt to have a second opinion," Leo replied. "What do you think, Gia?"

"I think Leo's right, Raph. Leo knows about this just as much as you do, so I think it's a good idea to have him observing."

Raph grumbled a bit but said nothing more as our training resumed. It was a good session, and even Raph conceded that I was doing a good job with what I was given.

"That was definitely good, Gia," Leo praised me.

Raph mumbled that I did good and left for the house. I was surprised but decided not to think much of it.

"Gia, do you mind taking a walk with me?" Leo offered.

"I have to clean up first, but I'll meet you out here, okay?"

"Okay," Leo answered.

After I took a quick shower and changed, I met Leo by where we trained. I was curious as to why Leo had asked me to take a walk with him, but I decided that maybe he just wanted some company since he was alone a lot and couldn't do much. We walked in silence for a bit and listened to the birds and other animals in the trees.

"It's so beautiful out here," I whispered.

"It definitely is," he replied. "I've never heard the birds out here like this. Living in the city is definitely different from here though."

"Do you miss the city?" I asked him.

"I miss some things about it, but I really do like it out here. I don't want to stay here forever though. New York is my home." A wistful look crossed his face, and I could imagine that he was thinking about his missing father.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked.

"How do you know I wanted to talk to you about something?"

"Because you never ask me to come into the woods with you."

Leo smiled. "Very observant, Gia," he commented. "Yes, I did want to talk to you about something. Let's sit on this rock." He pointed to a rock that was near the stream. We could hear the water rippling over the rocks. I sat, and Leo sat down next to me, stretching his leg out a little.

"How's the knee?" I asked him.

"It hurts," he answered. "I guess I just have to deal with it. But we're not here to talk about me. We're here to talk about you."

"I haven't done anything wrong," I immediately said.

"I know that, and that's not what I was referring to. I was referring to how you have feelings for Raph."

I was shocked. As far as I knew, only Tony knew about my crush on Raph. Was I that obvious about it? Did the others know?

Reading my thoughts, Leo said, "I just notice the way you look at him sometimes. It's clear you like him as more than a friend, am I right?"

"Yeah, I do. What about it?"

Leo didn't answer right away. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he turned to me and looked me in the eyes. His eyes were a dark blue, and I had never noticed how pretty they were. Then again, I had never really looked at their eyes before.

"When we were younger, we didn't think much about humans," Leo began. "We were curious about them, but Splinter made it clear that humans wouldn't understand who we were and would probably treat us differently because of that. He said that not all humans were bad as he had the right to know being human himself once, but he did say that a lot of humans didn't understand things that were different and they would probably treat us harshly. We grew up to be wary of humans and to not think of them as friends.

"When we were allowed to go to the surface for the first time, it was a treat for all of us. We had never been above ground, and we were curious as you could probably imagine. We didn't think anything would happen that night, but then we saw April and her father getting kidnapped by the Kraang. Don saw her first, and the look in his eyes is one I'll never forget. He was smitten from the first sight of her, and I was a little alarmed by that. We had read fairy tales when we were younger, but we never thought any of it was real. Donnie himself often questioned the whole notion of love at first sight, but after he set eyes on April, I knew he was beginning to believe it himself.

"As time went on, we could tell Donnie really felt something for her. As much as I wanted to deter him from the crush, I also realized that when Don was around her, he was happy, and I didn't want to detract from that even though I didn't have faith it would work out. Mikey was a lot like me in that he didn't want to destroy Donnie's happiness. Raph, on the other hand, was very different. He made constant jokes about it and kept telling Donnie that it wouldn't work out because he was a mutant and she was a human."

"That's kind of harsh," I said. "Why would Raph do that?"

"Raph's always been cynical about any of us finding someone to love us because of our mutant status. He just has this fear that no one will love us because of how we look. I had to admit I had the same fear until I met Karai. Just like Donnie, something came over me the moment I set eyes on her. I thought she was beautiful, and I had never met anyone like her in my life. Granted, my situation was different as I was consorting with the enemy, but I was the type to believe that there was good in her and that she could be reformed."

"And that was true, right? She did get reformed."

"Yes, but it took some time for her to accept the truth of her existence and who her real father was. Raph was against me from the start and kept telling me she was no good, but I kept believing that there was good in her and that it would all work out. As you know, it did, but then she was mutated into a snake. Now I don't know what will happen to her, but I hope that we can find her and cure her."

"Do you still love her even though she's technically your sister?"

"I do, but I have to quell the romantic side of it. I can't give her that anymore, but I can give her the love of a brother which is just as important."

"But you aren't blood related," I pointed out. "You're Splinter's adopted son and she's his biological daughter. Maybe it could work out."

Leo shook his head. "No, it wouldn't because Splinter is still my father even though I'm adopted. We can't be in love like that as it would be wrong."

"So did Raph accept her into the family finally?"

"He did, but he was wary about it at first. That's the point I'm trying to make, Gia. Raph is the type to not put stock in anything unless he feels it's right."

"Do you think I would hurt him?"

"No, I don't. I think you'd be good for him and that you would treat him right. I just don't want YOU to get hurt. All I'm saying is that you can try your best to show him how you feel, but don't be surprised or disappointed if he doesn't return your feelings. Raph isn't the type to show his emotions so quickly, and as I said, he's not the type to believe in love at first sight."

I could understand where Leo was coming from, but it still hurt to hear that Raph was the type to not believe in love. Even though two of his brothers had experienced it, he was the type to shy away from it, believing that it couldn't happen to him. It was no life for anyone, and I was determined to show Raph that he could have that chance even if he didn't return the feeling.

"I know what you're saying, Leo, and I get it. But you know what? I'm going to show Raph that he can have love and that if he's brave enough, he can find a way to believe that it can happen for him. I'm not going to go too fast, but I am going to show him that he is loved by not just his family."

"I appreciate that, Gia, and I think you can do it. Just don't get your hopes up too much, okay?"

I smiled at him. "I won't. Thanks for talking to me, Leo. I appreciate it."

"No problem, Gia. I'm happy to help out. Shall we go back?"

"Yeah, I'm starving," I said. I took his hand and helped him off of the rock. We headed back to the house talking about other things. It felt good to talk to Leo and to have him talk to me, too. He was definitely different, but I could tell he cared about his brothers and he cared about me, too. That was always a good thing to have someone like that in your life, and I was glad Leo was there to talk to me and give me advice about what to do.

22222

That night, I took a shower before it was time to watch wrestling. My hair was still wet, and I hadn't brushed it yet. I came down with the hairbrush in my hand as everyone was gathered by the TV.

"Hey, Gia, you ready to watch wrestling?" Leo asked me.

"You know it," I answered. "But I do need a favor. I just washed my hair and I need to brush it now. Would you like to do it, Raph?" I held out the brush to him, and he pushed it away.

"No way!" he protested. "I don't do girly stuff like that. What do you take me for?"

I smirked and held the brush out to Donnie.

"I don't think I'd be good at something like that," Don answered.

"I'll brush your hair, Gia," Mikey offered.

I smiled. "Thanks, Mikey. At least you care about me." I sat down in front of Mikey who took the brush and began brushing my hair.

"Your hair is so soft," he commented. He buried his face in my hair and inhaled. "Mmm, it smells like flowers."

I laughed. "That's because I put shampoo in there. But thanks again, Mikey. You know how to make a girl feel loved." I pointedly glanced at Raph as I said it, but he wasn't paying attention and was watching TV instead. After Mikey was done, I put the hairbrush away and came back downstairs, making it a point to ignore Raph and sit by Mikey. I put my arm around him, and he smiled in happiness.

"The world could use more love," he commented as he snuggled against me.

"Yes, it could," I replied. I snuck a peek at Raph and saw he was staring right at us. Good. Now I had his attention. His eyes narrowed a bit, but then he looked away and returned to watching the match. Okay, this definitely wasn't going to be as easy as I thought it would be.

After wrestling was over, I made a point to thank Mikey again and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed and said it was no problem before hurrying upstairs. Leo smiled at me and waved, but Raph just glared at me before following Leo upstairs. I could tell Raph was jealous, and that made me feel better. If he thought I was making a move on Mikey, then so much the better. It would give him a chance to let go of the repressed feelings he had and declare how he felt about me. But I knew it wasn't going to be that easy and that I would have to up the ante a little so to speak. What followed was something I'd never forget in my whole time at the farmhouse and it was something that would make me laugh, too.

A/N: So that's the end of that chapter. I had fun writing it, and I can't wait to bring about the next chapter as that one's going to be a good one. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Tease

A/N: And another chapter is here. I'm so excited about this story as you know. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. Now the game is really getting started, and it's going to be hilarious in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own Gia and Gino Salini and the plot.

I was just getting started on Operation Get Raph to Like Me, but I knew that there was going to be more for me to do. I knew it wasn't a good idea to go too fast, but my subtle teasing wasn't working, and I knew I'd have to really get him riled up to see me and how I felt about him. I knew Leo wouldn't approve of it, but the opportunity was too good to pass up one day.

I had just finished training and was taking a shower as I always did. Suddenly, someone started banging on the door.

"Gia, get out of there!" I heard Raph yell. "I have to take a piss!"

"Come on in!" I sang. "The door's open for you!"

"Just get out of there! You've been in there long enough!"

I shut off the water and got out of the tub. I didn't even bother to wrap a towel around myself as I opened the door. I smiled at the shocked look on Raph's face, and I could tell he was looking me up and down. Then the shock transformed to anger as he glared at me.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?" he demanded. "Wrap up in a towel for Pete's sake!"

"Nah, I think I'll stay where I'm at," I replied. "You can do your business. I won't watch." And with that, I got back in the tub and resumed my shower. I heard Raph grumbling, but then I heard the toilet seat go up. "Why are you in here anyway? We do have another bathroom, you know."

"Mikey's hogging it," he answered.

I smiled, happy that Mikey had been in on my plan.

"So, do you guys stand up to pee or do you sit down?"

"None of your business," he shot at me.

"But it's natural to be curious about these things," I said. "After all, I'm only human."

"We sit down to piss. Are you happy?"

"Yes, very," I answered.

"Good." I heard him stand up and flush the toilet. "You better not try that shit again, you hear me?"

"Oh, come on, Raph," I teased. "You know you enjoyed the view, am I right?"

"No, I didn't. That's disgusting. Start actin' like a woman and not like some cheap lady of the street." He stomped to the door and closed it on his way out.

Okay, that definitely didn't go as planned, but I enjoyed the look on Raph's face. I finished my shower and changed into clothes knowing that he wouldn't appreciate what I did. When I came out, Raph made it a point to avoid looking at me, which made me laugh. Mikey met me in the hallway.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"Yeah, he couldn't even talk," I giggled. "Thanks for helping with the plan, Mikey."

"Anything for true love," he said, ruffling my hair.

I laughed and went to the kitchen. I could tell I wasn't going to get off the hook so easily, but that was something I was willing to deal with.

Sure enough, Leo came to me and gave me a stern look. "Gia, I think you scarred Raph for life," he said.

"Why would I do that?" I asked innocently.

"Because you wanted to get a rise out of him," Leo answered. "I know you want this to work out, but doing what you did isn't the way to go."

"But I thought all guys fantasize about seeing a woman naked," I said. "Isn't that the biggest thing they want to see?"

"Oh, Raph's already seen naked girls," Mikey said. "He has a whole stash of magazines in his room."

Leo gaped at Mikey in shock but then turned to me. "That's not the point," he said. "The point is that you're moving too fast, and if you think that showing Raph your body is going to make him like you, you had better think again, Gia. That's not the way to go about things."

"I was just trying to have some fun," I said.

"I know, but that's not the way to do it," he answered. "Now, you better tell Raph you're sorry. He's in our room."

I nodded and went up to the room Raph shared with Leo. He was sitting on the bed with his shell against the headboard.

"What do you want?" Raph asked me.

"I wanted to apologize for what I did," I answered. "I know it wasn't right of me to do it, but I thought it would be a funny joke. I should have treated you with more respect, and I promise never to do that again."

"Fair enough," he said. "It wasn't funny, you know."

"But you DID like seeing me, didn't you?" I asked him.

Raph sighed. "Okay, Gia, I'll admit you've got a great body, but I wasn't expectin' to see it so soon. And I didn't appreciate you still takin' a shower while I was tryin' to do my business. You shoulda just stayed outside like a normal person."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?"

"Yeah, I do. Just don't do it again."

"Deal," I said and shook his hand. Then l left the room. When I glanced back, I caught Raph staring at my rear end and smiled. Yeah, he definitely noticed me whether he wanted to admit it or not. His words echoed in my head, and I knew that he really did like me. But I knew that Leo was right, too, and that I had to take it slow. That was the best thing to do.

A/N: A little short, but that's all I could really think about for this chapter. Hopefully, the next one will be better. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Girl Talk

A/N: I know it's been a little while for this story, but inspiration just hit which is a good thing. I also have another plot bunny featuring Gia that I want to write as well, so I hope to get that up as soon as possible. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Life at the farm was different than life in the city. Even though we didn't have a lot of animals, we still had to look after the chickens that were there. Mikey was the one who mostly did this, but we all helped out with it at various times so that Mikey wasn't stuck with the job. I had just finished picking the eggs the hens were laying when April came up to me.

"Hey, you wanna take a walk with me?" she asked.

I looked at her and could tell she wanted to talk to me about something though I wasn't sure what it was. "Sure after I take these in," I replied. I took the eggs in and handed them to Mikey.

"Thanks, Gia," he said. "This'll make some good food."

"No problem, Mikey," I said. "April and I are gonna walk in the woods. We'll be back soon."

"Cool. See you gals later."

I laughed and followed April out of the farmhouse. "He's such a goober," I said.

April shrugged. "He's Mikey. That's how he's always been."

We walked along for a bit until we came to a brook. There was a rock next to it, and April sat down, motioning for me to sit beside her which I did.

"Okay, spill," I said.

"What are you talking about?" April asked.

"I know you want to tell me something, so just do it," I said.

"How do you know I want to tell you something?" she asked, trying to look innocent.

"Your eyes are lit up like a Christmas tree," I pointed out. "Something happened to you, and I want to know what it is."

April let out a sigh. "Okay, but you can't tell anyone else about it. Do you promise?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I won't tell anyone, so spill."

"I kissed Donnie," she confessed.

It took me a minute to process her words. "You kissed Donnie?" I repeated. "As in you kissed him on the lips?"

She nodded. "Yes!" she squealed. "I don't know what made me do it, but I just did it!"

"You go, April!" I said. "So, does that mean you're together?"

"I don't know," she answered. "I want to be, but I don't know if he feels the same way."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course he feels the same way. He's crazy about you. You only have to look at him to see that."

"So, you're not mad about it?"

"Why would I be mad about it?"

"You're not really the romantic type. I figured maybe you'd say something about how it was wrong since he's a mutant and I'm a human."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Hey, if it works, go with it. I may not be the romantic type, but I'm happy for you, April. Just don't mess it up."

"I won't," she promised. "So, do you like Raph?"

"He's okay. A bit of a grouch at times though. And he can get pretty angry."

April giggled. "So can you."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"But I meant do you like him in a romantic way?"

I shook my head. "Nah. I like to tease him, but that's it."

She looked at me. "Methinks the lady doth protest too much," she teased.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I demanded.

"You're blushing, Gia. That means you like him."

"It does not!" I protested.

"Then why are you blushing?" she asked me.

"I don't know! It's warm out here!"

"It's not that warm, Gia. You are in love and you don't even want to admit it."

"I'm not in love, April. There's no way. I can be."

"Yes, there is. You just have to go for it, Gia."

"Can we please drop this subject?"

"Why? Does it scare you?"

"No, I just don't wanna talk about it."

"Okay, we won't talk about it. I do have a question for you though."

"What's that?" I asked.

"What was it like being in the Purple Dragons?"

I scuffed my toe in the dirt. This was definitely something I hadn't wanted to talk about. "Well, at first, I thought that it was cool. I felt like I belonged because I never belonged anywhere else in life. After Mom died, I just shut down and never really talked to anyone. But when Fong came up and asked me to join his gang, I thought it was cool. I figured I would finally be able to belong to something and not just be alone all of my life. So I joined."

"And did you like it?"

I nodded. "At first I did. I thought it was so awesome how we just did what we wanted to do. But looking back, I know it was the stupidest thing I could have done. I don't ever want to go back to that life. I want to be better than that."

April put a hand on my shoulder. "I get it, Gia," she said softly. "And you are better than that. You're a good friend and as long as you remember that you have others who care about you, you won't go back to that life. We won't let you."

"Thanks, April. I'm lucky to have friends like you around me."

"And we're lucky to have someone like you in our lives, too."

"Okay, I think we've done enough of the sappy stuff for one day," I said wrinkling my nose. "Just don't tell anyone about this, got it?"

April giggled. "Yeah, I got it. You are so much like Raph, it's scary."

"Well, you're a lot like Donnie. All we need is to give you a gap, and you'd match."

April punched my shoulder playfully, and I yelped at the contact.

We heard footsteps and looked up to see Leo limping in our direction.

"Hey, Mikey sent me to tell you lunch is ready," he said. "It's time to come in."

"And why couldn't Mikey have sent Raph or Donnie to get us?" I asked him. "You're supposed to be resting that leg."

"Don thinks it's good for me to walk on it," he answered. "But if you guys don't want the food, I can tell Mikey he can have it."

"Oh, that is SO not happening," I said. I got up and sprinted out of the woods. I knew it would take time for April and Leo to catch up to me, but I didn't care. There was no way I was gonna let Mikey take my share of the food.

As I lay in bed that night, I thought about what April had said. Could I really be in love with Raph? Was I capable of it? No, I definitely did not have feelings for him. He was too much of a jerk for me to bother with. And with my past transgressions, why would anyone want to be with me anyway? They didn't know everything about my past. Sure, I had told April some things, but there were other things she still didn't know about. Would I ever tell her or any of the others about it? What would they think of me if they knew the truth of what had happened to me? Would they still want to be my friend, or would they cast me out for good? Would Raph think I was a good person if he knew what I had done while in the gang? I shook the thoughts away. It didn't matter. That was then and this was now. I wasn't going back to that life no matter what anyone said. I had a new life to live, and I was going to live it my way whether they liked it or not. The past didn't matter. The future was what I had to focus on. Gritting my teeth, I closed my eyes and fell asleep, determined not to let my past rule me the way it had before.

A/N: And that's the end of another chapter. I had fun with it, and I hope you liked it, too. I do have another bunny with Gia in my head, and I'm going to write it soon. It's going to be called Tales of an Outcast, so be on the lookout for it. In the meantime, feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


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